In pictures: Hunger, despair as Venezuela earthquake rises | Stories About Earthquakes

Hundreds of rescuers in Venezuela are racing against time to free a man trapped for eight days under a collapsed building, as survivors of last week’s twin earthquakes battle hunger and despair.

International teams on Thursday approached the 43-year-old security guard Hernan Gil, who was buried inside his house under a seven-story building in Catia La Mar, a coastal area that was devastated by the June 24 disaster.

“This is truly a miracle,” said his wife Gusbimar Gonzalez, praising the unprecedented efforts of rescuers from seven countries working around the clock to reach him.

The race to save Gil comes amid a national disaster that has killed at least 2,295 people and injured more than 11,000, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez. Thousands of people are still missing, with the United Nations estimating that around 50,000 people remain unaccounted for and around 13,000 are homeless.

In the troubled city of La Guaira, many people now stand in line for hours for food and water.

“They give things here, but sometimes people kill each other to get food… It’s like fighting a cock,” said 18-year-old vendor Daniela Armas at an emergency shelter.

Supporters are warning of rising tensions and crime. Four policemen have been arrested after the people accused them of stealing valuables from the ruins, while other families are sleeping in car parks after their houses collapsed.

The World Food Program has appealed for $50 million to feed 500,000 people for three months, as health officials warn of a looming disease outbreak in a country whose already battered jobs are under “severe pressure”.